The value of foreign investments in Tunisia amounted to 235 million Tunisian dinars ($168 million) in the first four months of 2001, facilitating the establishment of 50 new projects and the expansion of 20 preexisting ones, reports KSAToday daily.

The Minister of International Cooperation, Fathi Merdasy, stated that TD 78 million of these investments was funneled into the tourism sector following the privatization of the Dar Jarba Association. In the year 2000 more than 100 new firms were established by foreigners, bringing the total number of foreign companies in Tunisia to 2,139.

Furthermore, foreigners invested approximately TD 500 million, mostly in the manufacturing industry, creating nearly 192,000 jobs. More than 14,700 jobs were created in the year 2000 alone, accounting for 22 percent of all new jobs created by the economy. –(MENA Report)